- Volkswagen's three-row Atlas and two-row Atlas Cross Sport get a "major refresh" for the 2024 model year, and the biggest development is under the hood.
- Last year, you could get an Atlas with a V6, but the '24 model will only offer a new 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbo TSI.
- Inside, the refreshed crossovers will come with a standard 12-inch infotainment display and a 10.25-inch screen in front of the driver for Digital Cockpit Pro information.
Without a Beetle or standard Golf in the US product lineup, Volkswagen leans harder on its remaining models, particularly the crossovers. The Tiguan was VW's best-seller in the US, with more than 88,000 deliveries in 2022, followed by the still relatively new compact Taos crossover, which found its way to more than 59,000 American driveways last year, according to Wards Intelligence data.
But Wolfsburg would like to see more sales traffic from its larger crossovers—the three-row Atlas and two-row Atlas Cross Sport, both produced in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Combined sales for the two models reached 82,000 units in 2022. These upsize models get a "major refresh" for the 2024 model year, and the biggest development is under the hood.
Last year, you could get an Atlas with a tubocharged four-cylinder TSI engine or a workhorse VR6. This year, a new 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbo TSI is your only option. The new engine produces up to 269 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. That's roughly the same as last year's VR6 (276 hp, 266 lb-ft) and far more than the outgoing 2.0-liter unit (235 hp, 258 lb-ft).
VW is holding back some details of the new Atlas crossovers, but the automaker says it expects this new powerplant to offer both better acceleration and improved fuel economy. A few things that didn't change with this refresh: the 5000-pound maximum towing capacity, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and standard front-wheel drive, with 4Motion all-wheel drive available for all trims.
While there aren't any major changes for the 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport, the refreshed versions unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show today reflect a lot of little changes found sprinkled throughout both models.
The exterior, especially the front end, gets a new design, and VW has emphasized unique, differentiated front fascias for the Atlas and its two-row Atlas Cross Sport variant. There are new integrated air intakes and an updated light signature with an adaptive front-lighting system that is now standard on both models.
Other than on the base trim, the daytime running lights now connect to a light bar and an illuminated VW logo. On the rear end of the 2024 Atlas family models, there's a new light-up VW logo (again, not on the base trim) and a larger spoiler. The Atlas Cross Sport gets further changes in front with gloss-black grille details and a similarly colored "X" design element on the lower fascia, and a new rear diffuser in the back.
Other minor-to-medium changes in the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport can be found in the interior, where VW has added things like a leatherette-trimmed soft-touch dash and center console (which has been redesigned with storage space underneath), available ambient lighting and, in the top-of-line trims, quilted leather seats. VW has also moved a heated steering wheel with shift paddles and ventilated front seats into the standard equipment column. Previously, these features required buying the SEL trim or higher.
When it comes to tech updates, the 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs now come with a standard 12-inch infotainment display and a 10.25-inch screen in front of the driver for Digital Cockpit Pro information. Last year, the largest infotainment screen in an Atlas measured 8 inches diagonally. Wireless smartphone charging and at least six USB-C ports (or, optionally, eight) are also now standard.
The 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport models also all come with VW's IQ. Drive driver-assistance technology. While we've gotten used to automakers describing their driver-assistance systems in relation to the SAE's five self-driving levels, VW is referring to IQ. Drive as having "hands-on semi-automatic capability," which means the system can keep you in the center of your lane on the highway while also scanning for potential obstacles.
The 2024 VW Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport will launch this summer, so watch for more details, including complete specifications and pricing.
